Klang MP Charles Santiago suggested that the government start the fund with an initial RM5 million to aid those with a household income of RM5,000 and below.
He added the allocation could come under annual funding under the federal budget.
“At present, cancer patients have to fork out thousands of ringgit for expensive medicines.
“Some are forced to sell their homes, jewellery and other assets in order to buy medicines,” he said at a press conference at the Dewan Rakyat Media Centre here today.
He said some of the drugs for cancer were not subsidised in government hospitals and patients had to pay a premium rate for them at pharmacies.
Santiago said at least 100,000 Malaysians suffered from cancer at any given time, and the number was expected to go up by 54% by 2025.
He also cited Universiti Malaya academic Dr Nimala Bhoopathy, who said it cost about RM65,000 a year to treat breast cancer.
On March 27, Second Finance Minister Johari Ghani had shared similar concerns based on his experience in his constituency of Titiwangsa, said Santiago.
“He said there might be a need to engage all the insurance companies to provide affordable coverage to support cancer patients.”
Santiago suggested that the government model the fund after the UK’s Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) project, which had helped at least 95,000 cancer patients gain access to affordable drugs since its inception in April 2011.
The CDF was under the National Health Service, which expanded its yearly allocation to £340 million (RM1.9 billion) from £200 million six years ago, he said.
Santiago said the project had reduced the prices of drugs as pharmaceutical companies had lowered the prices.